The United Nations establishes World Tuna Day on May 2 every year. The objective of this day is to raise awareness about the tuna fish and its importance to humans and earth. It is also observed to promote more sustainable fishing practices.
Everything you need to know about World Tuna Day:
About Tuna Fish:
Tuna is an astonishing warm blood fish that can jump high out of the water and can travel in huge groups. These fish are also known for dolphin protection from sharks by making a team. Tuna fish is considered for their nutritional properties their meat contains Omega-3 with minerals, proteins, and Vitamin B12. The fish are threatened by the overwhelming demand.
The seven species of tunas in the genus Thunnus are the northern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus), albacore (T. alalunga), yellowfin tuna (T. albacares), southern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus maccoyii), bigeye tuna (T. obesus), blackfin tuna (T. atlanticus), and longtail tuna (T. tonggol). These different species range from moderate to very large. The giant of the group is the northern Bluefin tuna, which grows to a maximum length and weight of about 4.3 meters (14 feet) and 800 kg (1,800 pounds). The yellowfin tuna reaches a maximum weight of about 180 kg (397 pounds), and the albacore grows to about 36 kg (79 pounds).
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization states that the global demand for tuna remains strong and that tuna fishing fleets remain significant over-capacity. In the most recent report of 2018, the FAO reported that about 7.5 million tons of tuna and tuna species in 2016 after the all-time high of 7.7 million tons in 2014. Though with this slight reduction, effective management is still needed to restore overfished stocks, including tuna.
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Why May 2 is observed as World Tuna Day?
In the year 2016, the United General Assemble officially voted in favour of observing World Tuna Day. It was observed for the first time in the year 2017. Since then it is observed every year on May 2.
According to the UN, a large number of countries worldwide depend on tuna for both food security and nutrition. At the same time, more than 80 countries have tuna fisheries, and their capacity is constantly growing. Environmental groups like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have warned that some types of tuna, such as the bluefin, are now endangered.
The annual harvest of Tuna and tuna-like species is estimated to be about 7 million tons. This migratory tuna species constitute 20% of the value of all marine fishing and 8% of all global marine seafood. It is important to recognize the crucial role of tuna and tuna-like species for sustainable development, food safety, economic opportunities, and livelihoods worldwide.
With so many countries around the world relying on tuna for both its nutritional and economic value, World Tuna Day, first observed on May 2, 2017, is an effort to stress the importance of a stable and healthy tuna population.
In practice, the event aims to spread information about the possible impact of drastically declining tuna stocks and to highlight the economic and social benefits of establishing more sustainable fishing practices.
World Tuna Day Celebration:
World Tuna Day celebrations involve special conventions and conferences that speak about the impact of tuna consumption, the positive, negative, and replacement options that people need to consider, and the implications of ignoring these signs.
There is a fix for this problem which mainly lies in sustainable Tuna fishing. And this solution is brought back to practice and discussed heavily by key decision-makers in the marine industry, environmental activists, and members of the UN on this day.
